


Asphodel

by rage_quitter



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter/Funhaus RPF
Genre: Fake AH Crew, Immortal Fake AH Crew, Roman Ryan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-09
Updated: 2016-02-09
Packaged: 2018-05-19 06:02:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5956351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rage_quitter/pseuds/rage_quitter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Why do you believe in the gods, if they haven’t shown themselves to you after so many years?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Asphodel

**Author's Note:**

> Same universe as my other immortal stories.

It’s a dirty job. It’s messy. They’re too late to save the hostages, so by the time the Vagabond and Brownman arrive they’re faced with a warehouse full of armed and bloody gangsters and the miserable, desecrated, mangled corpses of the innocent young people the gang had been intending on trafficking. 

Ray is young enough that it sickens him, seeing the unrecognizable bodies after they’ve slaughtered the gang. The smell of blood and gasoline makes his head swim as they soak the warehouse. 

Ryan throws the match.

The fire stands stark and bright and hot against the chilly night sky. It reeks of burning flesh and metal. 

Ray borrows Ryan’s lighter to light his joint. The soft aroma masks the burning warehouse as clouds of wispy white drizzle from his lips.

He hears Ryan murmur softly. It’s Latin. Ray doesn’t know what it means, but he recognizes a couple of names, vaguely. He stares ahead as Ryan pulls the coins he carries in his pockets and scatters them towards the flames. Ryan’s explained it before; payment for the ferry to the afterlife. 

“Ryan,” Ray says.

The Vagabond looks down at him. His paint is smeared with blood and sweat. “Yes?”

“I know you’re Roman and all, but... after all this time... you’ve been through hell and back. You’ve seen more shit than any of the rest of us. You sure as hell can’t go to any afterlife. Why do you believe in one? Why do you believe in the gods, if they haven’t shown themselves to you after so many years?”

Ryan is quiet. Ray frowns. He lowers his joint, letting pale smoke join the acrid black swirling towards the faded, distant stars. He doesn’t expect Ryan to answer, so when he does, it startles him.

“Because I can’t believe in mankind,” Ryan says. “I hardly believe in myself, anymore, either. And I’m just growing to believe in you and the rest of the crew.”

Ray nods. It’s as good of an answer as any.

“Why don’t you believe in a god? Your mother is religious, if I remember correctly.”

“Yeah, she is.” Ray takes a hit and blows rings to the heavens. Like angelic halos, he thinks with bitter amusement. “I don’t believe in anything for same reasons you do. Because no god would let this happen. Would make us watch. Forever.”

“Fair enough,” Ryan says. 

“You’ve encountered so many religions,” Ray murmurs after a pause. “Why stay with the Roman gods?”

“Because,” Ryan starts. The flames reflect in his eyes, turning the blue to gold, and Ray is reminded of the coins left on the eyes of dead Romans. “If I don’t believe in them, who will?”


End file.
